Thursday, November 8, 2012

Guest Post - Running After Kids

Given that I’m most likely a decade older (!) than Kelly, and
probably a good number of her readers, I thought it would be somewhat
interesting to give a glimpse into the possible future of life after babies… I’m certainly no Shalane or Kara, and I can’t
even begin to imagine what training is like for Olympic athletes after having
kids. Nor can I imagine what it would be
like for a pro athlete to make the decision to even have kids; this
post from Lauren Fleshman gives us a hint.
But I DO know is what it’s like to be an everyday athlete, and mother,
that loves to run.I came across this
article on 10 Things Winners Do Differently and thought it applied
perfectly to keeping up your running mojo after having babies. So I made a top three list:#1 “Keep Good
Company” = pick the right guy! (or significant other!)Having a supportive partner in raising your kids is so very
important, for the many obvious reasons, but also for your health and well-being. Prepare your significant other for Saturday
or Sunday mornings spent doing some one on one bonding with the kids while
you’ll inevitably be out racing or doing a long run. Don’t worry about the kids and just GO. Let him feed them some junk or stay in their
pjs all morning, they won’t be marred for life and you’ll be a much happier mom
if you let the small stuff slide. He’s a
runner, too? Since you picked the right
partner, you have great communication and a good give and take attitude. You can each have a weekend day to do your
thang, and if you’re lucky enough to have grandparents/extended family nearby –
kudos to you! I’m jealous!#2 “Think
Constructively” = you might need some contraptions or creativity to get a
run in!Just going out for a run isn’t as easy as it once was, so
you have to get resourceful about how you’ll accomplish your workouts. Early on, when my firstborn was an infant, I
actually did step aerobics and other workout videos in another room while he
napped. I also highly recommend a
jogging stroller. I even joined a few
Stroller Strides classes to get me out the door in the early days and learned
some strength moves to do on the go. The
most helpful thing in my life as a running mom is my local Y; if you can afford
it, I highly recommend a gym with daycare.
The Y is a huge hit with our family – trusted caregivers that have been
there for years and great youth sports programs to boot. If you’re a working mom, I’d start experimenting
with early morning running or the lunchtime routine now, before having kids, so
that you’re used to it if you decide to have a family. And let go of the guilt if you take some of
that precious time to yourself on the weekends or after work occasionally –
which leads me to:#3 “Practice Self
Love” = ditch the mom guiltI just loved the quote from this one: “Caring for yourself is not an act of self-indulgence, it’s an act of
self-respect.” This is always easier
said than done and all mothers feel some level of at all times, whether they
work or stay at home; but it’s worth aspiring to minimizing the guilt as much
as possible. Let that significant other
watch the kids, hit up grandma, don’t feel guilty about your daily hour at the
gym, etc. I am way more patient and
loving with my family when I’ve had my running therapy. Additionally, think about what a great
example you are setting for your kids by being healthy, by being strong, setting
goals, having self discipline… the list goes on.Bonus #4! – “Focus on
the Controllable” = you have no control over your childrenYes, you can control all aspects of their lives: what they
eat, when they go to bed, how they are disciplined, etc. But they are their own individual little
spirit and will not always conform to your schedule or personality. This was by far the hardest thing about
becoming a parent for me, as I crave control in my life. So I exercise as much control as I can in the
way they are raised, and in my running life – running is such a great outlet
for control freaks! I remember doing a
parenting exercise at one of our co-op preschool meetings where each table had
a different plant on it – some had cacti, some had orchids, others had
gardenias. The point being that when you
have a baby, you don’t know what you’re going to get and you need to take care
of your specific child and their individual needs. You just might have a prickly little cacti
baby that hates the jogging stroller – eeep!
Maybe early morning runs or the local Y are in your future. Just know that with kids, nothing lasts
forever (your newborn will let you sleep again, promise!) and you’ll soon
forget the more difficult times. But, remember
to stay in the moment as much as possible and enjoy the NOW. I so miss my kids at nine months old – wee
little smiling butterballs! Try not to always
think ahead to the next milestone, because the same holds true for the amazing
moments (first smiles, words, I love you!) they won’t last forever.

2 comments:

I try to live with the "this too shall pass" philosphy. Having kids is a crazy life. Not many would trade it but its a level of insanity that's difficult to understand before it hits your life. As with everything, if exercise/running, etc. is important to you then you will figure out how to fit it into your new life with kiddos.

The gym ladies are like our second family. I try to make sure my kids are respectful and well behaved there because they are my posse to help me get through marathon training. Love them! Thanks for the post. It's cool to see two bloggers I love join forces.